Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-24
Bancroft and Byron.

In the January Century Professor
Sloane, formerly private secretary of
Bancroft. tells by authority the story of
the meeting OF Bancroft and Goethe.
Schieiermacher and Byron. We quote
as follows: The American squadron
was lying a. the time in the harbor of
Leghorn, and Bancroft was invited by
the commodore TO meet Byron aboard
the flagship. There we're present only
few other Americans, among them the
consul at lunis. with his wife and sew
eral ladies When the poet. accom-
panied by his host and the principal
officers of the fleet. came up the COM
panionway. his countenance imme-
diately fell at the sight of the ladies
among the new arrivals. thinking prob
ably that they were Englishwomen who
had taken advantage of the opportunity
to spy him out But on learning that
they were Americans he at once re-
covered his cheerfulness, and was most
approachable. In fact, when the con-
snrs wife laughingly said that her chill
dren would want some proof that she
had seen Lord Byron, she was permit
ted to take the rose from his buttonhole
Before leaving. the nobleman's secre-
sary invited Bancroft in his masters
name to visit Monte Nero. So intense
was the enthusiasm, for Byron among
the officers of the fleet that when he was
rowed ashore one captain manned his
yard-arms and fired salute, but the
commodore, feeling that the guest of the
day had no position which warranted so
official greeting, allowed 1t to go no
further. Shortly afterward Bancroft
wrote note to ask if he might call at
Monte Nero and received pleasant,
lively reply. Byron's reception of his
guest was cordial. He was simply but
carefully dressed, and during the break
fast talked Of Jeffrey and the bitter at
tacks of the Edinburgh ReUieto. His
eye was bright and his manner Animal
ed, but without bitterness or rancor
lie seemed intensely interested in Goe-
the, and asked many questions about
him. The idea chat Manfred was
based on Faust he declared to be
false, explaining that he had never seer
Faust He vas evidently delighted to
hear how great a fayorite he was every
where in Germany. He spoke also o.
Thorwaldseu's busts, and said. with
seeming dissatisfaction. the last one was
too spare. After breakfast he invited
Bancroft into the drawing-room, from
the windows OF which, he said, Elba
was visible, and indeed it was, but very
dimly. While they were standing
absorbed ia trying to discern its out-
line, the door opened softly, and
light footstep was heard. 1t was that
OF the Countess aEuiccioli, and without
the slightest embarrassment Byron
turned and presented Bancroft to her.
She at once made some Introductory ne
mark in Italian and talked for some
time. The conversation became gen
eral, and in the course of it Byron Ne
marked. incidentally, that the Countess
did not like the soothing tone of DON
juan and had entreated him not to go
on with it, and that he had received
letters from others to the Same effect
That Bancroft's visit was remembered
with pleasure is evident, both from the
letters To Murray in which Byron al
ludes to his young visitor, and from the
presentation copy of Don Juan. with
the authors autograph, still 10 Ban
croft's library"